Friday, October 16, 2009

Joseph A. Citro, author, lecturer and expert on New England oddities (including ghosts, fortean, and spiritual phenomena) is renowned for both his novels and non-fiction books on the Just Plain Weird. His latest work is The Vermont Monster Guide. Joe has appeared frequently on local and national radio and television. His entertaining lectures and readings are sought after by groups wanting something historically valid, but decidedly out of the ordinary.

Tonight, Joe will talk about his many books, entertain and just maybe “spook” us a little with tales from Springfield and the surrounding area.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections. Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society. (courtesy of the American Library Association)http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm)

Come check out the display at your library. The display will be available through October 7, 2009.